Workers&#39; caps



Oct. 25, 1955 E. BERG WORKERS CAPS Filed April 12; 1954 unnuunn INVENTOR.

LZaw'zye United States Patent WORKERS CAPS Elaine Berg, Chicago, Ill.

Application April 12, 1954, Serial No. 422,498

1 Claim. (Cl. 2--197) The present invention relates to workers caps, and is particularly concerned with caps of the type worn by soda fountain workers or counter attendants.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved cap for workers in which the various parts and materials used have been reduced to an absolute minimum; and in which the labor involved in its manufacture has been reduced as much as possible so that the cap may be manufactured economically and supplied to the purchasing public at a low price.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved cap for men and soda fountain workers, which may be manufactured without the necessity for employing skilled labor, and which is adjustable in size so that one form of cap may be used for all the different head sizes, thereby reducing the amount of stock in caps that must be kept on hand.

Another object of the invention is the provision of, an improved workers cap which may be cleaned by merely dipping it in suds in its entirety, and by wiping off the foundation band and permitting the top covering to dry without ironing, while still presenting a very attractive appearance throughout a long life of hard usage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved workers cap in which there are no detachable parts so that the adjustment and securement of the band in different sizes may be accomplished by means of structure which forms a permanent part of the cap, so that there are no parts which may be lost.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved cap for workers which includes a foundation band of smooth, shiny plastic to which dirt will not adhere, and which can be cleaned very easily, and a permanently attached top of this nylon which permits the air to circulate to the hair while covering the top of the head with a covering of attractive form that can be cleaned by merely dipping it in suds, rinsing and permitting it to dry.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings accompanying the specification,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a counter attendant wearing a cap embodying the invention, showing the front view;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of a rear view;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, elevational view on a larger scale, showing the construction and arrangement of the parts of the cap; the cap being inside out at this stage;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on the plane of the line 4-4, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, rear elevational view of the adjustable band and self-adjusting top covering.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 4, indicates in its entirety a workers cap embodying the invention, which prefer- 2,721,329 Patented Oct. 25, 1955 ably includes a foundation band 11, a top covering 12, a sweat band 13, and a lower binding strip 14.

The foundation band 11 preferably comprises a strip of shiny, sheet plastic having sufiicient stiffness to maintain a substantially cylindrical shape when its two ends are secured together, but adapted to conform to the oval or other shape of the head of the user.

This plastic band is preferably white but may be made of any desired color; and due to its shiny character dirt does not tend to adhere to it, and may be wiped ofi with a dry cloth or with a cloth containing some solvent, such as benzene or kerosene, or with a damp, soapy cloth.

Various types of plastic may be employed; but they are preferably heat resistive so that they are definitely not inflammable. Among those that may be employed are vinylchloride acetate resins, vinyl chloride resins, vinylidene chloride resins, vinyl butyral resins, vinyl alcohol resin, methyl methacrylate, polystyrene, polyethylene, cellulose acetate, and cellulose acetate butyrate.

All of the foregoing have a very slow burning rate, are

I neutral in characteristics, and resistive to acids and alkaloids, and may be provided in shiny sheet form of white or colors in such manner that dirt does not penetrate, and may be readily washed off with soap and water.

The plastic band is preferably provided with an integral securing means for securing its ends together in overlapping relation to adjust its size to the heads of different users.

This securing means is shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. One end of the band is preferably provided with a plurality of pairs of parallel slits 15, 16, 17; any number of slits being provided to give the desired number of different adjustments. 7

The slits may be placed closer together to provide smaller adjustments, but are spaced in the drawing for clarity of illustration.

The width of the plastic between the slits 15-17 is always the same and corresponds to the width between the points 18 and 19 on the neck portion 20 of an integral securing portion 21.

The securing portion 21 is provided with an upwardly extending tab 22 and a downwardly extending tab 23, these tabs being of such a width that they may be received in the slits 1517; and the tabs being made of an integral portion of the stiff plastic so that they tend to stay in the same plane inside the slits 15--17, but the portion 21 may be bent as required to insert the tabs 22, 23 in the slits 1517.

The grooves 24 which separate the securing portion 21 from the body of the band are preferably slightly tapered, making the tabs 22, 23 outwardly tapered for easier insertion in the slits.

When the tabs 22 and 23 are inserted in any one pair of the slits, such as the slits 15, then the band has been adjusted to the head size shown in Fig. 2.

The foundation band 1]. is preferably provided with a top cover 12, which is preferably made of a thin, transparent nylon fabric, permitting a limited amount of circulation to the top of the head and presenting an attractive appearance.

This top covering 12 may be made of a rectangular strip of fabric, which is folded back upon itself at its middle to form the front fold 25, and which is folded inward along its top edges and stitched together by a single line of stitching 26, which extends from the front edge 25 to the back corner 27 and downward along the back edge to the point 28.

From the point 28 the top covering has its loose and diverging edges 29 and 30 folded over and provided with a line of stitching to prevent raveling.

After the top covering is so stitched it may be turned inside out to put all of the roughness inside the top covering l2 and present a finished outward appearance.

The gap 31 between the lower rear edges 29 and 30 of the top covering 12 is for the purpose of permitting the adjustment of size of the lower part of the top covering with the foundation band 11.

The top covering may have its lower edge portion 32 placed along the upper edge 33 of the foundation band, and the top covering may be stitched to the foundation band by a line of stitching 34, after which the foundation band may be turned inside out to bring the parts into the position of Pig. 4, with the top covering folded upward at 35, and presenting a finished outer appearance, with the rough edge 32 of the top covering in the cap.

The lower edge of the foundation band 11 is preferably provided with a binding strip 14 of smooth, shiny sheet plastic so that it also may be cleaned by wiping it with a cloth. The binding strip 14 is bent backward on itself at 36 and has its edges bent inward at 37.

A sweat band 13 comprises a narrow strip of absorbent fabric, such as cotton tape, and has its lower edge 38 placed in'registry with the lower edge 39 of the foundation band.

The folded binding strip 14 is placed about the lower edges 38 and 39 of both the foundation band and sweat band; and the binding strip is secured by through stitching 40 extending through the binding strip, sweat band and foundation band, securing them all together with the sweat band on the inside.

The sweat band preferably terminates at 41, Fig. 5, short of the slits, and which terminates at 42, short of the securing portion 21; but in some embodiments may extend over the full length of the body of the foundation band.

It will thus be observed that no separate securing devices need be provided which might be lost and which involve additional expense, but the foundation bands may be punched out of sheet plastic and provided with integral securing tabs and slits without additional expense.

The present cap may be manufactured with a minimum amount of sewing and is very durable and economical in its construction.

It may be washed by dipping in suds and wiping oif the band and binding strip and rinsing the top which can be permitted to dry without ironing.

The top automatically folds inward at its rear edge 28 and adjusts itself to the adjustment of the foundation band so that only one size of cap need be kept in stock.

Cit

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

A workers cap comprising a foundation band of smooth, shiny sheet plastic adapted to form a circular crown when its ends are brought together, the lower edge of said foundation band being provided with a binding strip folded over inside and outside said foundation band and stitched to the foundation band, and a top covering comprising a substantially rectangular strip of thin fabric folded back upon itself at the front edge and stitched together along the top edge and along the rear edge, except for an unstitched portion at the lower part of the rear edge for adjustment of size, said unstitched portion being in general alignment with the ends of said foundation band, said top covering being turned inside out and having its lower edge stitched to the upper edge of said foundation band, the said foundation band being provided adjacent one end with a multiplicity of pairs of apertures, the apertures of each pair being vertically spaced from each other, and adapted to receive bendable means carried by the other end of said foundation band and located to be inserted into any one of the pairs of apertures to secure the foundation band together at its ends in any of a plurality of adjusted positions, the said foundation band being provided on its lower inside with a strip of absorbent material serving as a sweat band, and having its lower edge aligned with the lower edge of the foundation band, and located inside the said binding strip and secured by the same line of stitching which secures the binding strip to the foundation band.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,769,761 Sutton July 1, 1930 2,004,098 Andrews June 11, 1935 2,051,084 Hertz Aug. 18, 1936 2,521,017 Moen et al. Sept. 5, 1950 2,616,092 Berg Nov. 4, 1952 2,629,103 Berg Feb. 24, 1953 2,701,367 Berg Feb. 8, 1955 

